Mellow Yellow

Nothing brightens a summer day quite like sunshiney yellow nails and a delicious lemony treat.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Who's with me?

via kate spade ny

Hiatus

B: So, apparently I'm on a bloggy hiatus. An unplanned one.

LJ: I know! What happened to you painting the town pink??

B: Oh, you know I'm still doing it! I just... don't seem to leave enough time to blog about it.

I'll be back though. And soon. With lots of stories. And pictures. And giggles.

Pinky promise.

City Skyline to Big Sky

I'm having a hard time believing that by the time today ends, my view will have gone from this...

... to this...

Sigh. They don't call it the "Treasure State" for nothing.

I'm headed back to my roots for the first time in about 5 years to celebrate my Grammy's 79th birthday! A long weekend full of love and laughter with my family, surrounded by some of the most breathtaking land on this earth... Can't. Wait.

"I am in love with Montana... Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans."

-John Steinbeck

Where Does the Time Go?

I feel like a broken record because I seem to catch myself asking that question ALL the time, but I really have no idea where the weeks have gone. All of a sudden it's half-way through August! And as rumor has it, that means Fall is just around the corner... Out of control. This summer has been filled to the brim with more happy adventures and memories than I could ask for, but I just don't know how it's going by so fast... So, in an effort to make up for lost time/blogging, here's a quick (but far from complete) snapshot of the last couple months:

• Confession: I've been cheating on one of my true loves... Starbucks. Sigh. I feel like I should have an big scarlet 'A' emblazoned across my chest, but Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee (large w/skim and three Splendas, please) is just so darn tasty and convenient on my morning walk to work.

• Miss Bliss got maaaarried! I spent the last weekend of June with a handful of my dearest friends from college, celebrating with Laura and JJ at what was one of the most joyful and magical weddings you could hope for. Let's just say I've never been more thankful for waterproof mascara than I was during that ceremony...

The Jansens' First Dance

"The TCU Thetas" - Yes, we had a reserved row with the Bride's family :)

Theta Love

• I recently got promoted! I'm loving my new account and role, even if it's meant a few more long days. Tune-in to History for a peek at some of the fun things I'll be working on now...

• Thanks to a 22-week series at Apostles ("Wealth Redefined") and a 9-week Beth Moore study with some girlfriends, I've been diving deep into Ephesians and Esther lately. God has been teaching me some powerful lessons through these Books this summer. To say I'm thankful for the ways He continually opens my eyes and my heart through His Word and fellowship just doesn't seem to do it justice.

• After three long years, I finally made it back to the Great Northwest. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably wanted to block me after the 287th or so Tweet about "L.O.V.E.-ing this!" and "L.O.V.E.-ing that!" but honestly... Words can't even begin to describe how happy my heart was during those 10 days. 10 days away for a much-needed break from the fast-paced life of NYC. 10 days with my parents, who I hadn't seen since Christmas. 10 days spent catching up with the friends I grew up with. 10 days surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains, lakes and trees you'll ever see. To put it mildly, 10 days of... perfection:

All of the "kids" from the old neighborhood reenacting a game of Kick the Can at Stacey and Jason's beautiful wedding.

The view from Pastor John and Linda's house on Camano Island

One of many delicious trips to Victor's, my favorite coffee shop.

Pike Place Market

With my dad, shortly after I hugged the Space Needle. Not even kind of kidding... And not even kind of ashamed.

• My roomie Renee and I found the most adorable new apartment and will be moving in just a few short weeks! Can. Not. Wait. Stay tuned for details about an Apartment Warming/Twister party like you've never seen before... And if you happen to know, or happen to be, a strong young man looking for a way to flex your muscles and would like to help us make the oh-so-short trek just three buildings down from our current place, we will gladly repay your services with baked goods. Or pizza. Or some other TBD delicious treat.

• I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing as lovely as spending a New York summer evening with friends on a rooftop/patio/garden/[insert pretty much any outdoor venue here], and this season has seen plenty of those: Fireworks on the Fourth. Relaxing Wine & Cheese nights. Birthday BBQ's. Cosmos on the West Side... Oh! And don't even get me started on lazy days in Central or Madison Square Park - can't get enough of those either.

Patriotic for the Fireworks over the Hudson

"Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

-Henry Wardsworth Longfellow

Summer Song

"In summer, the song sings itself."

-William Carlos Williams (via the lovely Amy)

Another Day, Another Crush

"Well crap. Now I have to find a new, never-going-anywhere Office Crush to creep on."

-A friend, upon learning that her current Office Crush has put in his two weeks notice... This, my friends, is Twentysomething Professionalism at its finest. Gotta love it.

Literature At Its Finest

Will anyone judge me if I admit that I'm totally planning on reading Lauren Conrad's new novel L.A. Candy? Because I kiiind of am... Just as soon as I'm finished re-reading Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (before the movie comes out on July 15th!!). Oh, and probably after The Time Traveler's Wife. Because Kristen will hurt me if I don't finish that by the time she's back in NYC. And because the trailer alone makes my heart do somersaults.

All this to say: I heart summer reading.

Oh, and p.s. Get excited for a ridiculously gushy post about Laura and JJ's fantastically romantic and perfect wedding in Phoenix this past weekend. I haven't downloaded the 200ish pictures that I took yet, and Laura/it was all so beautiful that I have to make sure there's proper photographic aid to help do everything justice. But for now, let me just sum the weekend up with: Awwwww!! :)